069: Build Your Platform – Not Someone Else’s

In this episode, I share the story of what happened when I relied on someone else’s platform and the consequences of selling my material there. I got locked into a price, couldn’t remove my content, and had no control over the devaluing of what I had to offer. I won’t be divulging specifics in the notes here, so you’ll have listen for the details.

We talk about the benefits of having things on your own website and being able to control the experience.

Learning is the only skill you can have that will remain relevant for the rest of your life.

Show Notes

08:51 I spend the first part of the show here sharing a story about my experience with having my content on a certain other platform. I’m not including the name here in the notes (because, you know, keywords), so you’ll just have to listen. The point of the show is not to speak ill of this particular platform, but to emphasize the value of building your own platform.

22:10 When you pay third party platforms to use their systems, you have to play by their rules. Even if you connect your own domain, they own the system.

22:27 It costs a lot to build your own platform, but you get to set the rules, you get to charge what you want, and you get to own it. You’re also able to have a fully branded experience.

What are you selling? What are you giving up? What part of your soul are you relinquishing when you settle for the easy way of using another’s platform?

25:57 Teach yourself enough to get by with code so you can do your own developments. Then hire a developer to recode your concept more efficiently.

Social Media As A Tool, Not A Home

34:07“Ok, so let’s say you are building your own platform. What about using services like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest? What’s a good way to employ those?”

34:49 You have to see social media services as tools—not your home. Yes, you do want to be on those places, because that’s where people are. But you want to get people back to your platform. Utilize them for their strengths, but don’t make them your home.

35:26 Use only the social media services that you intend to actively engage with people on.

39:19 The reason you want to build your own platform is because you don’t have control elsewhere. Other platforms can change the game and you can’t do anything about it. You can only control your own platform.

41:41“How do you build a platform when you first start out and you don’t have the money to invest to build it up real big?”

41:55 You don’t need to start by building something huge. It’s a gradual, iterative process. Slowly invest your money and build as you go. Find your revenue source from The Trifecta:

43:15 Figure out which (or any combination of the above) you want to focus on and start investing there:

If you want to work with clients, put up a contact form.

If you want to sell products, start with a single page and a Paypal button.

If you want to focus on teaching, start a blog.

43:41 Start with the very first step, and build slowly. One at a time. Iterate on top of that.

43:52 If you’re saying, “Well Sean, I don’t even know how to get a website up. I don’t even know where to start.” It’s worth your time to invest in learning the skills necessary to get something basic up. “Well, I don’t think I can do that.” You CAN. You can. Don’t let the things that you don’t know how to do be a barrier.

Learning is the only skill you can have that will remain relevant for the rest of your life.

47:43 You can figure out how to put something basic up that becomes your home—your place—where people can engage your content and you can control that experience.

48:00 Don’t use the excuse of “I don’t want to be a programmer. That’s not my thing.”It doesn’t have to be “your thing” for you to be willing to learn it.

48:11 Don’t take the easy way out. The easy way out is letting these other platforms (that did all the hard work of building the platform) take advantage of you and your unwillingness to build your own platform. You have to think long term.